Since the debut of the first princess in 1937, Disney recognized it had created a successful formula. Almost 100 years later, these timeless tales and enchanting characters still captivate audiences.
However, Disney's recent film, "Wish," seems to have fallen short of critical acclaim. The film finds itself in a delicate balance between honoring the nostalgic past of classic fairy tales and embracing the demands of modern filmmaking.
"It appears Disney prefers not to commit to any single direction, and 'Wish' represents an awkward marriage between old and new ways," wrote Lovia Gyarkye from The Hollywood Reporter.
Co-written by Jennifer Lee of Frozen, the film tells the story of Asha, a 17-year-old character voiced by Ariana DeBose, living in a land where residents share their greatest wishes with King Magnifico, hoping they will come true.
However, over the course of an hour and a half, Asha realizes she must save her kingdom from the king's sinister purpose of gathering and granting wishes.
In a two-star review, The Guardian's Benjamin Lee called it "an off-brand rip-off, aesthetically and inferior to Disney's Oscar-winning film Frozen released 10 years ago.
He mentioned that although the plot brings up some "intriguing ideas," the film "slides into bog-standard formula with an ungainly script."
Kevin Maher of The Times described the film as "emotionally inert and personality-free" in a one-star review, mentioning it features too many "clunky references to past hits" that are "shoehorned into an anaemic story."
The Telegraph's Robbie Collin awarded the film two stars, stating it was "not so much a Disney fairy-tale as a corporate identity crisis."
He added that Disney's centenary animated feature "feels like an attempt, after a wobbly decade, to return the brand to first principles. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a self-portrait of an altogether less flattering type - a sort of Corporate Identity Crisis: The Movie."
Variety's Owen Gleiberman noted that although the film "self-consciously packs 85 years of animated magic into a portable Disney fable," it remains, for children, a "visually pleasing, eminently watchable slice of enchanted product - with a plot that's both mildly touching and slightly strange."
He also praised Chris Pine's performance as the narcissistic king who "gives you someone to root against."
While true Disney fans might find the numerous shoehorned references overwhelming, namely Asha's seven friends who possess strikingly similar traits to the dwarfs in Snow White and the borrowed musical motif from Leigh Harline's Pinocchio theme "When You Wish Upon A Star," Empire's John Nugent said in his three-star review that "for the most part, you can enjoy the film for what it is, and younger viewers are unlikely to pick up on the deeper cuts."
The Financial Times' Danny Leigh summarized the film's limbo position.
Awarding it three stars, he wrote: "The movie must salute fairy tales past, without ever suggesting the company's glory days are over. It also has to feel smart and contemporary while getting on the wrong side of absolutely no one.
"More often, 'Wish' is nervously risk-averse. The remit remains a Catch 22. The movie is so busy referencing the classics, it makes itself an afterthought.